Tuesday, August 18, 2009

A Breastfeeding Baby Doll?

This morning I stumbled upon an articleannouncing a new baby doll for your little girls. "Another new doll?" I thought. Well, I'm always in the market for a new doll for my granddaughters so, I began reading the article and to my absolute surprise, I read where this new doll is designed to breastfeed! Yes, you heard me correctly, a new breastfeeding doll for your little girl! It comes complete with artificial nipples for the little girls to wear!

I was taken aback... I mean, WOW! When I was a little girl, we spent hours playing contentedly with our dolls that would cry, say "Mama", and was wonderfully 'weighted' to feel real. Then, when my own daughters were growing up, more new dolls came along that were designed to eat, burp, pee, and poo.

But now, in my granddaughter's innocent baby doll days, we have yet another dimension to stretching their impressionable little imaginations by pretending motherhood with a breastfeeding babydoll!

Well, I forwarded the email to a few select close friends, both male and female, and asked them this same question. Some of these friends have little girls that would fit this particular age level, and here is one of the responses I received. Don't worry, I have her permission to share her response with you below:

"Oh, my gosh!!! And the halter top with the strategic 'flower nipples' is worn by the little girl?!?!?!? That's so messed up. That is so, so messed up! I'm sorry, but I am 26 and PREGNANT for the first time and the idea of me breastfeeding is wierd. If I found out my six year old kid was 'breastfeeding' their babydoll, I would want to sue somebody. Just watching the video of the doll made me blush. I repeat, so messed up. When you're 6-8 years old and only 3-6 years away from learning things like that about your body, and you find out that your friends at school are 'breastfeeding' their pretend little one, what kind of messed up stuff does that do to your head? Hormones are raging just a couple of years beyond that, and this toy encourages the 'pretending' just a little too far. Just watching that little 6 year old girl put that baby doll up to her chest made me instantly boil with rage!"

Well, this gal definitely has a strong opnion...As for me, you won't see me rushing out anytime soon to get this doll for any of my granddaughters!

11 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Okay, what is next, baby-dolls that can "do" each other? Clinical psychology has shown over and over again that children get confused about their body, identity, sexual orientation etc... when they are caused to begin thinking about adult issues at a very young age. Whatever happened to pig tails and innocence? Give kids a chance just to be kids for crying out loud!

A little too far...to make undeveloped YOUNG girls focus on the breasts they don't yet have. Beats me why people want kids to grow up so fast. SO if you have 2 or 3 girls "brestfeeding" their dolls together, what is conversation suppose to be about? Probably designed by the folks who want "anatomically correct" dolls. If a litle girl has a new baby sibling, she will probably immitate her mother anyway, without the need of a halter/apron.

I am a father of 4 and the words that came out of my mouth were very close to what your friend said. Seriously like giving porn to a child. I mean why not try it without the fake nipples or have your friends do it to see how it feels. This is seriously too far.

If little girls see their mothers breastfeeding the baby, they will copy her anyway. I cannot see any difference when the little girl has one of these dolls, afterall it is perfectly natural to breastfeed a baby, that's what breasts were made for, and little girls love copying mummy, whether it be with make-up or pulling up her blouse and pretending that way.The world has gone mad with this negativity towards breastfeeding. You died in the 16th century if you were not breastfed, and maybe one of these antecedants might have been related to you

i think the fake nipples are more than a bit much. and i also think that if it's perfectly acceptable for kids to sit around pretending to feed with bottles because that what they see, what's the big deal if they pretend to nurse their babies?

what is really effed up is that americans can only see breasts as sexual objects. over exposure too breasts as playthings and all that.

breasts are breasts - MAMMARY glands as in MAMMAL as in MAKES MILK. (as in root word for MAMA...)

in american culture breasts are only acceptable to be bare in public if they are "barely" covered by versace or dior.

Why exactly are we so confused on this doll? Jesus made women to give life to their children through breast milk. Why are we able to give a baby doll a bottle full of man-made formula or cow's milk, neither of which are natural for humans. This is a sign the brainwashing of from manufatureres has worked, and is currently working in our lives.

Christians wake up! Stop being so hyper religious that you don't see the real issue.

My 18 month old puts her Elmos up to my breast (over my shirt). Praise the Lord my daughter will know that breast feeding is natural and the most healthy way to give life, even if it's Elmo!

This is the first time I've visited this website, and I must say I'm very disappointed. I'm a Christian and I'm also a mother. I breastfed both of my children for two years each, and it is the most beautiful thing imaginable. What do you think God made our breast for? Why does nobody have problems with seeing breasts until you stick a babies mouth over it? The first time my daughter mimicked me and tried to nurse her baby doll, my heart swelled with pride. Honestly, give her a barbie? Can anyone say unrealistic body image? Maybe you prefer a Brat doll, I know I want my daughter to aspire to dress like a floozy! Come on Christian women, show a little respect for how God designed our bodies to nourish our young.

What exactly is wrong with breastfeeding? Would you rather give your granddaughter a doll with a bottle, is that a better behaviour to model? Please. The nipple thing may be a bit excessive, but I think the concept is sound. Breastfeeding is the most natural way to feed a baby, superior in every way over formula, and children will naturally want to model that. Breasts are not sexualized until the adults teach the children that they are sexual objects. I hope you rethink your point of view.